


Je t'aime Little Lady, Toujour

by Helthehatter



Series: Little Lady [3]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Bay Movies, Comedy, Death, F/M, Farewells, I'm crying while I type, NSFW, Reunion, Robot Sex, Romance, Smut, The last knight epilogue, Tragedy, Transformers - Freeform, emotional therapy for myself, so much crying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:01:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24991204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helthehatter/pseuds/Helthehatter
Summary: The finale for the Little Lady series:With Optimus Prime rearing to leave Earth and the tragedies that befell the planet, Bumblebee enlists Hot Rod and Viviane to help him find old friends and seek closure.Closure and emotional reassurances it what the rest of the cast of characters need as well, with Cade saying goodbye to more people he loves, Crosshairs coming to terms with the planet they gave their lives for and Prime having to move on when an upsetting situation presents itself.Focus of this final series of chapters is to give a more emotional and heartfelt ending to the Bayformers cast of characters then we were given in the movies and to (hopefully) bring this specific Transformers series to a rest.
Relationships: Bumblebee/Charlie Watson, Hot Rod/Viviane Wembly
Series: Little Lady [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1785091
Comments: 15
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Since the one shots got longer and longer I thought it better just to make this one multiple chapter so as not to overwhelm people.

Her mouth was hot and wet as she went over his metallic body. He made appreciative murmurs, feeling ready to overheat as her soft lips went down lower and lower.

His fingers stroked the bare flesh of her back, damp from her lustful excitement as her mouth reached his spike.

He lifted his head and moaned happily as her tongue, soft and warm and wet tasted him. He liked how wet she was, from her mouth to her skin to her folds that his fingers traced, the damp from her sex making the appendages glisten.

This was an experience he couldn’t get from another Cybertronian, it was solely something only a human could give him. An experience only _she_ could give him.

A burst of pleasure rocked his body and her mouth dripped blue. He reached his free hand out to wipe it away and she nuzzled into his palm. Along with the aftershocks of his pleasure his spark pumped with affection. Affection that recharged his spike very quickly.

With one more chaste kiss against his palm she pushed herself up. She splayed her hands onto his torso while she started to rub herself on the underside of his erect spike.

The pleasured noise he made would’ve embarrassed him if he could think straight. But all that was processing was her damp, sensitive flesh riding against him and her mewls of pleasure escape her parted lips.

He wondered if his metal was as hot as her skin.

He reached his hand back to her, his fingers wrapping around her back to keep her in place while his thumb traced her mouth. She gazed up at him with smoldering eyes and it took all his self control not to push her onto his back and go a little crazy.

No, she deserved something sweet and soft and slow and she was already pressing his spike into her.

It fit perfectly.

He nuzzled into her neck and chest as she rocked against him. He imagined his fluid pooling into her, marking her as his own and once again worried about overheating.

She pressed her mouth against his cheek, “You can come inside, Bumblebee.”

Sudden pain knocked Bumblebee back into the present. He looked around wildly, recognizing Cade’s scrap yard. He saw Prime and Crosshairs conversing yards away. Drift was in the middle of meditation and Hound was showing off one of his weapons to Cade, Isabelle, and Jimmy who had recently returned from vacation.

The yellow Autobot looked down to see what had disturbed him, only to see Sharp-T with it’s tiny but sharp teeth in his leg. With a disapproving buzz he reached out and gently knocked the baby Dinobot away. Sharp-T let out an offended, squeaky growl before stomping away.

Bumblebee stood up and gave another look around.

He spotted Hot Rod and Viviane in their own little corner some feet away. The human woman sitting on the Autobot’s knee and listening while Hot Rod talked animatedly. Bumblebee guessed he was bragging about one of his old battles.

The yellow robot focused on Viviane who was listening to her Autobot lover with a soft love struck smile. Bumblebee felt a twinge of jealousy. Seeing the two so clearly happy and in love was bringing back some memories that made Bumblebee twitch with guilt and longing.

 _Hot Rod’s braver than I am_. Showing support for his friend’s romance and even pushing him to be with Viviane despite his nerves had made Bumblebee feel like a hypocrite.

Hot Rod didn’t care about things like time, he didn’t believe in the words “too late”. Bumblebee on the other hand…

He looked across the junk yard to see the Cybertronian ship. Despite the destruction it had suffered from Berserker the Autobots were making good process rebuilding the ship. Every day brought them closer to leaving Earth, that’s probably what Prime and Crosshairs were talking about.

 _So little time_ , the words sounded so foreboding and gave him a sense of dread. _So little time_ … He glanced back to Hot Rod and Viviane, happy and enjoying the time they had. Brave and honest and vulnerable.

When was the last time Bumblebee let himself be vulnerable? When was the last time he truly connected with a human?

He looked over to Cade who looked to be trying not to yawn as Hound got far into detail about his weapons. The man caught Bumblebee’s optic and offered him his friendly smile. Bumblebee nodded to him, feeling a rush of affection. Cade was a great human… But he had a stronger bond with Optimus, not Bumblebee. Bumblenee had already made plenty of strong connections.

What were they doing now? They didn’t even know he was leaving soon.

They didn’t know he was leaving!  
Trying to summon the courage that had gotten him through countless battles against the Decepticons Bumblebee started to make his way over to Optimus.

On the way several faces flashed in his brain module:

Allies in battles, friends showing him Earth… _her_. And by the time he reached Optimus he was positive this is what he needed to do, despite how badly it might end.

“ _When are…we leaving_?” Bumblebee asked his leader.

The Autobot leader blinked, seemingly caught off guard. “It won’t be too long now,” he promised.

Once again there was that pit of dread and Bumblebee forced it down. “ _I need to do something…before then. I need to say goodbye… to the… human… friends I’ve made._ ”

Prime looked even more taken aback, and Crosshairs who had stepped away a few feet, scowled at Bumblebee. It wasn’t surprising he wasn’t for the idea.

But Optimus also looked less than ecstatic at Bumblebee’s request. “It might be too dangerous to go off on your own, Bumblebee.”

“ _Then…I won’t go alone._ ” He indicated to Hot Rod and Viviane. “ _They’ll come with_.” He trusted they would without asking them.

When Optimus still hesitated Bumblebee stepped closer, looking up at him beseechingly. “ _Please…Prime. I need to do this_.”

There was another heavy moment of silence before Opitmus shoulders dropped and he nodded with a tired sigh. “Do not take long. I will expect you back by the end of the week.”

Behind Optimus Crosshairs rolled his optics and walked away.

“ _Okay_ ,” he nodded to Prime gratefully. “ _I’ll leave…right away_.”

He hurried over to Hot Rod and Viviane. The Autobot held her in his hand and stood up when Bumblebee stopped before them.

“What’s up, Bee?” Hot Rod asked.

“ _Do you two wanna…go on a road trip_?”

The two exchanged looks before Viviane turned back to him, “I suppose so. Where are we going?”

Bumblebee felt a rush of excitement and anxiety, “ _I’ll explain on the way_!” 


	2. Chapter 2

Through the radio Bumblebee explained to Viviane and Hot Rod that he wanted to go and find all his old human companions and give them a final goodbye. Viviane was flattered if a little taken aback that he had asked her, they were friendly but she assumed he would’ve picked Cade over her.

But if Hot Rod was going she would have tagged along anyway, invited or not.

She sat in his driver seat now, drumming her fingers on the wheel as she replayed what Lennox had told her through her head.

The first person Bumblebee wanted to see was Robert Epps, someone she had never met but apparently who had been close friends with Lennox back when she thought Hot Rod was just a car.

They had split up after the battle in Chicago, which even Viviane had known about. She had vivid memories of watching it on the news, seeing the devastation and hearing the body count. It had been terrifying, but she had also had the sense of detachment people have when tragedy strikes at a place an ocean away from you. She never would have guessed she would have been pulled into the world of Transformers.

Her fingers wrapped around Hot Rod’s steering wheel with an affectionate squeeze. She didn’t regret being a part of it. But clearly world leaders hadn’t felt the same way, cause despite how the Autobots had fought for Earth it had not taken but a few years before all Transformers were put on a watch list and hunted.

According to Lennox that was when Epps quit, having used an array of colorful words to his superiors to let them know that the Autobots were his friends and he would not go after his friends. Lennox had explained to them that he had his family and the safety of the public to consider, that where the Autobots went danger followed. And maybe if he stayed in the ranks he could find a way to keep the caught Autobots safe.

But when he had told that to Epps all he got was a punch in the jaw and a warning for Lennox to stay away from the man that he had once considered a brother. But despite the breaking of ties Lennox knew enough to tell them that he had been given a hefty amount of cash to stay out of TRF’s business and where the man had settled down.

So with those coordinates in mind Hot Rod and Vivianne drove after Bumblebee who led the way. Viviane wondered if he was nervous, she knew she was even though she had no real reason to be. She had a strong admiration and respect for the yellow Autobot and imagined his human friends would give her the same impression as Bumblebee.

It was a few hours of driving, Viviane taking a short nap as they passed state lines. The US was so big how did anyone find anything before GPS? But eventually they drove out of crowded interstate and bustling cities to a much smaller town. Not exactly rural, but definitely far enough from the city to be detached from it.

“Good morning, Little Lady,” Hot Rod said warmly as Viviane pulled herself out of her nap, stretching her arms up to the car’s roof.

“Is it morning?” She looked out the window, the sun was still up and she guessed it was somewhere around noon.

“I personally think telling you good morning is more romantic than good afternoon,” Hot Rod stated.

“Why’s that?”

“I do not know. I just think mornings are more romantic.”

Viviane smiled and leaned forward to rest her arms and chin on the dashboard. “Well, I will admit I’ve had my fantasies of waking up to you in the morning.” 

“Oh?” She could hear the cheesy smile in his voice.

“Just little things,” she replied, “Waking up to you stroking my hair… Snuggling up against you cause you’re warm and I wouldn’t want to get up just yet.”

“That sounds nice,” he said genuinely.

Viviane smiled ruefully, “We would have to buy a house you can actually fit in.”

“Didn’t Edward leave you the mansion in his will?”  
Viviane’s eyes bugged. She had completely forgotten about that.

They were driving next to a large grassy clearing, and before Viviane could respond to Hot Rod’s question a red blur zoomed past Bumblebee. She watched the car drive off the road and off into the clearing, assuming the driver was some crazy dare devil looking for thrills.

But to her surprise Bumblebee immediately swerved off the road and followed the car, picking up speed.

“What is-” Viviane started.

“It can’t be,” Hot Rod breathed in disbelief.

The seat belt fell across her chest (“Hold on, Little Lady”) and Hot Rod bolted after his friend and the stranger.

It didn’t take long before Hot Rod caught up to the two cars. Bumblebee had followed the red vehicle far away from any signs of civilization.

Viviane’s eyes widened as the strange car skidded to a halt and smoothly transformed. 

It was an Autobot, all smooth plating and sharp angles and its blue eyes lit up as Bumblebee transformed to stand before him. Viviane was still getting used to reading Cybertronians’ expressions (only really able to easily read Hot Rod) but she could tell Bumblebee’s expression was one of disbelief.

But the red robot smiled brightly, “No _way_!”  
Bumblebee’s eyes crinkled into a smile, “ _Way_!”

The stranger lunged at him, “Bumblebee!” He nearly tackled the more bulky to the ground as he wrapped his arms around Bumblebee’s torso. The smaller robot even tried to lift him off the ground and into a spin but because of his greater size Bumblebee had to help him.

Viviane chuckled as she climbed out of Hot Rod who transformed into robot-mode.

“Mirage!” he exclaimed happily, looking over the Autobot. “We thought you were offline!”

“I thought _you_ were offline!” the named Mirage stated. He pulled away from Bumblebee, keeping his hands on his friend’s arms to look him over. “But you’re okay.”

Hot Rod walked over to him, Viviane staying put to give the three obvious friends a moment.

“Where have you been?” Hot Rod asked of him.

“ _Last we saw you…was at the battle…in Chicago_ ,” Bumblebee’s radio spoke for him. “ _We thought…Cemetery…Wind…got you_.”

Mirage’s blue eyes flashed with bitterness, his mouth pulled into a tight line. “They almost did. I got scrapped up pretty bad and hid out in some junk yard. Luckily Epps found me before anyone else did.”

Bumblebee’s antennae shot up, “ _Epps_?”

“We were actually on our way to see him,” Hot Rod explained. “Bee wanted to tell him goodbye.”

Mirage’s head tipped, “Goodbye?”

“Oh, right. You don’t know! You’ve missed a lot, friend. We’ll have to explain on the way to Epps.”

“Exciting,” Mirage replied easily. “But first-” He smoothly moved past the two and-to Viviane’s surprise-knelt in front of her. “Who’s this cutie?”  
Viviane felt herself blush at his bright eyes and wide smile, and before she could introduce herself Hot Rod quickly stepped over to stand between them.

“This is _my_ Little Lady,” he introduced. “Her name is Viviane.”

Mirage glanced up at Hot Rod and smirked teasingly before nodding to Viviane, “Pleased to meet you.”

She offered a smile, “Likewise.”

.

Bumblebee had chosen Epps in the hopes that seeing him again would be easier than seeing the others. But even so, as they drove toward his home, he felt his nervousness start to weight heavy on his engine.

Mirage led the way and Bumblebee took comfort from the sight of him. He had though the Autobot had died with the others and he was so eager to take him back to Optimus. And by Mirage’s reaction when Hot Rod explained that they’d soon be leaving for Cybertron, the red Autobot was just as eager to return to their leader.

Driving past the sleepy town they reached a house that was set up a little away from the rest of the town. Bumblebee saw a woman sitting on steps of the porch, watching a little girl playing with dolls and cars in the grass. Looking at the child Bumblebee was reminded of Epps and a new flood of nerves overcame him.

The woman looked up and smiled at Mirage’s car form only to blink in surprise when she saw Bumblebee and Hot Rod behind him, the two Autobots keeping a respectful distance.

To Bumblebee’s surprise Mirage parked in front of them and immediately transformed into robot mode. True they weren’t in sight of the rest of the town, trees separating the house from its neighbors but he was surprised the formally hunted Autobot would risk it.

The little girl had looked up when she spotted the cars and her eyes lit up when Mirage transformed before them. She jumped to her feet, dusting off her pink dress, and hurried over to him: “Mirage!”

“How’s my little angel?” he greeted, reaching his hand out. The little girl wrapped her short arms around his finger and he carefully lifted her up a foot off the ground the child letting out a shrill of delight.

The woman walked over to him but kept her gaze on Bumblebee and Hot Rod. “Mirage, who are they?” she asked.

He turned to her, “Don’t worry Ashley, they’re my friends.” He smiled over at him, “Bumblebee and Hot Rod, and _that_ lovely creature-” he added as Viviane stepped out and offered a shy wave- “Is Miss Viviane.”

Bumblebee mentally rolled his optics, knowing Mirage would mercilessly tease Hot Rod over his feelings for Viviane for as long as he possibly could.

Ashley looked at Bumblebee with a start, “ _That’s_ Bumblebee? The one you and Robert talk about?”

Bumblebee felt flustered at that fact but Mirage happily nodded. “They came to see Epps, actually.”

As if the words had summoned him the house’s front door pushed open and out stepped a man Bumblebee had trusted with his life.

“Hey, Hon, what should we do for-” he stopped when he saw the excited expressions on his wife and Mirage and then turned to see the two new cars in his drive way.

For that one second Bumblebee wondered if Epps had even missed him-but the next second a smile lit up the man’s face.

“I’ll be damned,” he stated, shaking his head.

His daughter let out an affronted gasp, “That’s a bad word, Daddy.”

“Your father’s a criminal, Michelle,” Mirage stated with mock dismay.

The little girl gave him an adorable pout. “He _is_.”

But Epps was too busy hurrying over to Bumblebee to defend himself, looking over him in the same way Mirage had, like he couldn’t believe he was still alive.

“I saw the news about Hong Kong…” he stated, placing his hands on Bumblebee’s hood. “But it was after and I didn’t know where you were… How are you, Bumblebee?”

“ _I’m good_ ,” he answered. And then, shyly, “ _I missed you_.”  
Epps chuckled, “I missed you too, man.” He looked over to Viviane and Hot Rod, “Who’s this?”

Hot Rod let out a loud annoyed sigh, “Well, since incognito is no longer a priority!” He transformed into his robot mode and both Epps and Viviane jumped out of his way. Bumblebee followed suit, the two kneeling alongside Mirage to stay out under the tree line.

Michelle let out an ecstatic gasp and released Mirage’s hand, “More robots!” She ran over to Epps to wrap her arms around his leg and looked up at the two.

“I am Hot Rod,” the Autobot introduced in his thick French accent.

Epps and his wife exchanged a look that told Bumblebee they could not understand him through said accent.

“Wh-what was that?” Epps asked after a moment.

Hot Rod exhumed an annoyed grunt and Viviane quickly stepped forward, “His name is Hot Rod.” She offered her hand, “And I’m Viviane Wembley.”

The three shook hands before Viviane and Hot Rod moved back to give Bee and his friend room. Mirage cleared his throat, “Have you forgot something, Epps?”

The man gave him a confused look, “What-OH!” He hurried over to Ashley and gently but persistently brought him over to Bumblebee. “Bee! I got married! This is my wife, Ashley! Isn’t she gorgeous!?”

Mrs. Epps covered her face with embarrassment as Bumblebee nodded with a happy hum. Glad that his friend settled down.

“And _this_ ,” he picked up Michelle and held her out for Bumblebee to see, “Is my baby girl, Michelle. Sweetie, this is Bumblebee.”

“Hi!” she greeted happily. “Your Daddy’s best friend.”

“Uh, actually _I’m_ his best friend,” Mirage pointed out, earning a collection of laughter.

Epps placed his daughter back on the ground, “We got so much to talk about. How’s Prime? I saw a few other Autobots from Hong Kong, who were they?”

Ashley clapped her hands to gain attention, “How about we move this to the backyard, just in case anyone decides to drive by.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” Hot Rod replied with emphasis.

.

The group spend the next few hours swapping stories. After Epps had found Mirage he and Ashley (at that point only his girlfriend) had hidden the Autobot at their house. After a few years had passed both Epps and Mirage had tried to find other Autobots who may have survived but did not have any luck.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you, battling Lockdown and then fighting Megatron and Unicron.” He shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe all that Bumblebee had told him since they had been separated.

Bumblebee sat across from him with Viviane leaning against his knee. Hot Rod was a few feet away with Michelle, the little girl giving him details about the lives of her toys, the Autobot listening attentively.

“So, Bee,” Epps spoke up. “It’s great to see you but what brings you here all of a sudden?”  
“How did you even know where we lived?” Ashley asked.

Bumblebee went through his radio channels to find the words he needed: “ _Len…ox…told me_.”

Instantly Epps’ smile dropped and Ashley sucked on her teeth before standing up. “Hey, Viv. Let me show you are gazebo. You come too, Mirage.”

“Am I leaving?” the red bot asked, taken aback.

“Yes, you are,” she ordered, leading Viviane and Mirage away so Bumblebee and Epps could talk in private.

“He’s still around huh?” Epps said, his voice flat.

Bumblebee nodded, “ _He’s changed_.”

“Well, I haven’t,” Epps replied, standing up and crossing his arms. “I’m still the man who didn’t turn on my friends.”

Bumblebee flinched, but couldn’t think of what to say. He did not hold a grudge against Lennox for doing what he thought he needed to, to survive. Even if it had hurt more than he liked to admit.

But Epps clearly wasn’t that merciful. He looked back up at Bumblebee, “Is that why he told you where I am? So you can talk him up to me?”

Bumblebee shook his head, his shoulders sagging as it was time to get to the point. “ _We’re leaving._ ”

Epps blinked, taken off guard. “What?”

“ _Prime…and the rest of us…we’re going home. We’re leaving…Earth._ ” He would have swallowed if he could. “ _I wanted to say goodbye_.”

Epps was quiet for a moment, looking to process Bumblebee’s words. The Autobot waited, his anxiety rising as he waited for the man’s reaction.

Until finally Epps gave a resigned nod, walked over and wrapped his arms around Bumblebee’s torso as far as they could go. Bumblebee didn’t hesitate to wrap an arm around Epps, feeling a sense of peace with the contact.

“I’m gonna miss you, bud,” Epps replied, giving a hefty pat to the Autobot’s back. “We had some good times, yeah?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Bumblebee replied sincerely. They had had some good times, and Bumblebee wished he could have had the rest of the Autobots with him at that moment. “ _I won’t forget you. You helped us…so much_.”

Epps suddenly pulled back, “Yeah, okay.” He rubbed at his eye. “No need to make me all emotional, Mirage will make fun of me.”  
“No I won’t.”

The red Autobot had returned to their side noiselessly, and he was looking at Epps with a sad smile.

“Were you eavesdropping?” the former soldier asked jokingly.

“Not really,” Mirage replied. “I just… I wanted to tell you I’m going to go with Optimus, back to Cybertron.”

Bumblebee’s optics widened in surprise.

Mirage shrugged, “I think it’s time I stopped mooching off you and your family, Epps.”

The man frowned up at him, “You know we have no problem with you living with us, Mirage. You can stay as long as you want.”

“I know that,” Mirage said softly, looking over to Ashley and Michelle who were talking with Viviane and Hot Rod. “And I can’t even say how grateful I am that you saved me. Or how much I’ll miss you and your family.” He turned back to Epps, “But Prime will need me more, and I miss Cybertron.”

Bumblebee leaned forward, “ _Why don’t you take them…to…Prime? You can see the ship and…and say goodbye._ ”

Epps nodded, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Suprising the man Mirage leaned down and placed his forehead against Epps’.

“What’s up?” the man said, surprised.

“I’ll miss you,” Mirage said, voice thick. “I’ll really miss you.”

Epps smiled, his eyes glassy as he patted Mirage’s cheek, “I’ll miss you too.” He offered his other hand to Bumblebee, who, full of emotion, took it. Epps’ hand was shaking. “I’m gonna miss all of you Autobots.”


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, while Mirage took Epps family to Cade’s home, Bumblebee, Hot Rod and Viviane moved on to the next destination.

Mikaela Banes.

She and Epps had kept in contact to send each other Christmas cards and he had given Bumblebee her address before they had driven off. And despite how well his goodbye with Epps had gone, Bumblebee couldn’t be sure Mikaela would greet him the same. They hadn’t talked since she had broken up with Sam, she might not even want anything to do with him anymore.

But he had liked her for the short time he had known her and she deserved to know he was leaving, whether it upset her or not was her choice.

Bumblebee led his friends into the bustling San Francisco, keeping his optic out for the list of street signs that Epps had given him.

While he did so his comm link fizzled to life and Hot Rod’s voice came in: “I never met this Mikaela, well technically I haven’t met any of your human friends. What she’s like?”

“ _She’s nice_ ,” Bumblebee replied. “ _Spunky_.” He thought of the battle in California where, despite being out of her element, despite knowing she wasn’t a soldier, still helped Bumblebee fight off the Cons when he had wounded his legs. “ _And brave_.”

“It’ll be nice to meet her,” Viviane stated. “Mr. Epps and his family were so nice.” She chuckled, “And you were so good with their daughter, Hot Rod.”

The Autobot let out a flustered noise and Bumblebee quickly shut off the comm link, feeling the squirm of jealously under his hood.

A few minutes of driving and taking more and more isolated turns and Bumblebee found himself driving into a lot full of several different types of vehicles each in their own state of repair. Across from the lot was a building with a large garage door wide open though from his angle he couldn’t see what was inside.

The building split from a garage to a shop where an elderly man was sitting on a rocking chair on the porch, sleeping. He assumed that was Mikeala’s father.

Bumblebee parked a few feet away, Hot Rod coming to a stop beside him. And while he wondered if he should honk his horn to see if Mikeala was inside, Viviane stepped out and started to head toward the shop. “I’ll see who’s here,” she said over her shoulder.

.

Viviane glanced at the snoring man on the rocking chair before walking past him and up the two steps into the shop. She was hit with a blast of cold air and found herself standing in front of a counter. Behind said counter was walls covered in tools, despite dating a car she didn’t know enough to be able to identify any of them.

A door behind the counter opened and a woman with black hair and in a tank top stepped out.

Her back was to Viviane as she leaned her head into the door, “Just sit tight, I have work to do.”

Viviane leaned over the counter, “Hello.”  
The woman let out an adorable squeak of surprise and immediately slammed the door behind her. Whirling around she saw Viviane and leaned her back against the door, putting on an air of calm casualness.

“Can I help you?”  
Viviane frowned, wondering who on Earth she had been talking to. But then with a mental shrug she decided that was none of her business and she was already on a mission.

“Are you Mikaela Banes?” she asked, getting straight to the point.

The woman’s relaxed posture instantly tensed and she gave Viviane a suspicious look, “Who wants to know?”  
“Oh, I’m not here to cause any problems!” Viviane was quick to reply, Mikaela must have thought she was a member of the government. They probably sniffed around her after she had helped the Autobots. “I came with Bumblebee.”

Like Epps, Mikeala’s eyes nearly fell out of her head. She walked over to stand before Viviane, “He’s…who _are_ you?”

“I”m Viviane,” she quickly introduced. “I’m friends with the Autobots.” She considered telling her she was dating one of them but felt that was too forward of a thing to say to a stranger. Instead she walked toward the door, looking to Mikaela beseechingly. “Bumblebee came to see you, he’s outside.”  
The woman walked slowly around her counter and cautiously followed Viviane outside. Viviane watched as she squinted against the sun and gave an affectionate pat to the sleeping man’s shoulder.

A car horn made both woman jump and they turned to see the camaro and lamborgini parked a few feet away.

Viviane moved to introduce Hot Rod to Mikaela but the moment the dark-haired woman’s eyes fell upon Bumblebee her eyes lit up and a smile split across her face.

.

Bumblebee felt a wave of relief wash over him as Mikaela smiled at him, hoping in place for a moment before rushing over.

“I can’t believe this!” her hands slammed down onto his hood, not enough to hurt him but enough to let him know how ecstatic she was. “ _I can’t believe this_!”

Her father made a grunt before letting his head loll back and his snoring start back up.

“ _Hi_ ,” Bumblebee greeted, her excitement contagious.

“Look at you,” Mikaela walked around him, taking in the camaro, “Still as handsome as ever I see.”

He made a buzzing chuckle.

Hot Rod’s voice suddenly spoke up, making Mikaela jump. “Bonjour!”

“Oh!” she blinked and then smiled at him, “Hey.” She looked over the car and, surprising Bumblebee, she whistled.

Viviane bolted over and firmly placed herself between Mikaela and the Autobot. “This is Hot Rod,” she said quickly, “And you already know I’m Viviane.”

“Yeah, hi,” she chuckled, not bothered before walking back to lean on Bumblebee’s hood. “What are you doing here, by the way?”

“ _I came to see you_ ,” he explained.

Mikaela smiled sweetly, “Then let’s find a place to talk where my dad can’t see.” She looked over at the dozing man. “I made the decision he didn’t need to know that his daughter hangs out with giant robots that transform into cars.”

“What about the garage?” Hot Rod asked.

“I’d rather stay outside,” Mikaela said, perhaps a little too quickly. “We can just go over to the other side of the lot.

“ _You_ two go,” Viviane said, “I want to give you two some privacy. Hot Rod and I have never been to California we’re going to see the sights.”  
Hot Rod chuckled but didn’t say anything as Viviane climbed into his driver seat and steered him out of lot.

“It was nice to meet you!” they both called in unison.

.

“You wanted to see the sights, hmm?”

“Oh, hush,” she said with a half-hearted smack to the steering wheel. Her face felt hot, “Bumblebee doesn’t need us tagging along while he talks with his friend.”

“I like her,” Hot Rod replied. “She has good taste.”

“I know what you’re doing,” Viviane pointed out.

“You do?”

“This is your revenge for Mirage flirting with me.”

Hot Rod laughed, “Maybe a _little_. But you know you’re my only Little Lady.”  
She smirked, “And you know you’re my only giant alien robot with a European accent.”

.

Mikaela laid across Bumblebee’s hood, her hair fanning across his glass. “So, the Autobots are leaving Earth?”

He made an affirmative hum.

“I can’t blame them,” she admitted. “Not after the whole Cemetery Wind. I was terrified when I heard about it, but I had no way to contact you guys. Sam didn’t either.”

Bumblebee hesitated, “ _I’m sorry._ ”

In response she sat up, crossing her legs and her hands wrapping around her ankles. She looked down at him with a cocked brow, “What are you sorry about?”

“ _I should have…stayed in touch_ ,” he admitted.

Mikaela frowned but she didn’t look particularly put out. “Yeah. It would have been nice…but I understand why you didn’t. You and Sam were closer and-”

“ _You’re my friend too_!” he quickly cut in.

Her frown pulled up into a smile: _“And_ , I know you were busy being an Autobot and going on missions. Then after the Chicago battle you had to say in hiding. I get it, Bumblebee. I’m not upset you didn’t come find me. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Suddenly a flash of pain overcame her eyes and she looked down, picking at a tear in her jeans. “That’s more than we can say for the rest of the team, isn’t it?”

Bumblebee inwardly flinched and Mikaela looked at him as if she had felt it. “Ironhide, Ratchet…they’re all gone. Aren’t they?”

“... _Yes_ …”

Mikaela took in a heavy breath and lifted her head, her eyes closed and he wondered if she was trying to keep tears from falling.

“ _I wanted to…come and tell you goodbye_ ,” he said after a moment of silence.

She nodded and then looked down at him, her eyes still hurt but her smile was warm. “I appreciate it, thank you.” She laid back down against his hood. “I’m gonna miss the good times, driving around with you and Sam and the rest of the Autobots.” She snorted, “But I won’t miss getting shot at by Decepticons.”

“ _I won’t miss that either_ ,” he said honestly. “ _But I’ll miss you_.”

“I’ll miss you too,” Mikaela said. “I know I left all of a sudden and I didn’t really bother to keep in touch but…it wasn’t your fault, Bumblebee. I was just-I wasn’t cut out to be with the Autobots.”

“ _I disagree_ ,” he said warmly.

She rolled over onto her elbow and kissed the glass of the window. “Thanks. Maybe I can come and see Optimus before you guys leave?”

“ _Of course_ ,” Bumblebee replied. “ _Thank you, Mikaela_.”

She gave him a pat on the hood and jumped off. “I should get ready then. What are you doing next?”  
“I still have…people to see…” Bumblebee replied. “ _Do you know…where...Sam lives_?”

The look Mikaela gave him send a wash of cold dread across his spark. “Oh Bumblebee… I thought you knew.”


	4. Chapter 4

Bumblebee’s shadow fell over the gray tombstone, the sun beating inappropriately bright against his back.

The cemetery was empty save for him and the graves, Viviane and Hot Rod staying by the entrance. They were suppose to give a loud honk if anyone came by. But at that moment…Bumblebee couldn’t be bothered to care if he had been spotted. He didn’t care if Cemetery Wind suddenly rose back up and dragged him away to his death.

All he could do was read the name on the grave stone over and over again: _Sam Witwicky, Loving Husband and Father._

He had felt the world shift when Mikaela had told him what had happened.

“It had been a car accident,” she had explained, her voice thick as she tried to comfort the robot. “It was raining and the other car was going to fast…I’m so sorry, I thought you knew.”

Bumblebee felt his hands pull into fists and felt his servos shaking. He knelt down to get a closer look at the mementos that were left at his grave. A couple bouquets of wilting flowers…he thought of Lennox and Epps and felt a flash of anger that they hadn’t _told_ him. Perhaps they, like Mikaela had assumed he knew, but they never spoke of it.

There was an incredibly small pair of human footwear next to the flowers. It took him a moment to remember the name: baby booties, and with dismay remembered Sam’s parents. He didn’t want to think what they were doing right now.

But then he saw a circle that he felt was oddly familiar, he carefully reached a hand out, his finger tip carefully touching it. And it was as if that touch had brought the memory back.

 _I had given him this._ It was one of his gears, one of the gears he had offered to Sam and Carly as weddings rings. It had been more of a joke than anything, he had no idea they had kept them.

A heavy footstep behind him made Bumblebee turn around to see Hot Rod standing over him, his optics bright with sympathy and concern.

“Everything okay, Bumblebee?” he asked quietly.

Bumblebee stared at his friend for a moment, “ _No_.” No, everything was not okay! _Sam is dead_!

“Hey, easy, easy,” Hot Rod dropped down to catch Bumblebee before the yellow Autobot fell on top of the grave. “You’ll crush it.”

“ _I wasn’t there_!” Bumblebee’s radio stuttered and shook along with his grief-stricken body. “ _I should have…I should have been there! I could have saved him!_ ”

Hot Rod held onto his comrade in a embrace, “We can’t save everyone, Bumblebee.”

“ _He’s a…FATHER_!” Bumblebee wailed. “ _I didn’t know! I couldn’t even-he got married…and I couldn’t be there_!” At that moment if any of the humans who had hunted the Autobots, who had killed his brethren and kept him away from people he cared about showed up…Bumblebee would have ripped them to pieces. “ _I was his guardian! I was his friend! I was suppose to protect them, we were suppose to…_ ” _I wanted him to meet her._

The thought made him struggle vainly against Hot Rod’s arms, not sure what he would do if he got loose. _I wanted them to meet, I wanted him to get to say goodbye to Optimus. I wanted to let him know that I loved him and I’d miss him._

He had wanted all of his human companions there to wish him goodbye, but now there couldn’t be, now that would never happen.

The weight of all of Bumblebee’s loss, from Jazz to Ironhide to Ratchet and now to Sam…he felt the grief was going to crush him and for a moment he understood the pain Optimus was going through.

Bumblebee’s body finally went limp and his head dropped to rest against Hot Rod’s elbow. “ _He’s dead…_ _And I didn’t even know_ …”

Hot Rod didn’t reply right away, instead rubbing the other robot’s back in an attempt to sooth him. Bumblebee appreciated it, but it wasn’t enough.

“I’m sorry,” Hot Rod finally spoke. “Do you want to go back to Optimus?”

He considered it, but eventually shook his head. He pulled out of Hot Rod’s hands and forced himself up onto his feet. He couldn’t even look at the gravestone again. “ _No…_ ” He wasn’t done yet.

He needed to see Carly, he needed to finish what he had started.

.

Mikaela had given him Carly’s address, the two having officially met at the funeral. She lived in a cozy neighborhood of this town, and he knew he couldn’t transform into robot mode around here, too many humans around-many of whom were staring at the two impressive cars that were slowly making their way down the street.

As the house (pastel and comfy looking and better than their old one) came into view Bumblebee found himself slowly coming to a stop. Hot Rod going ahead a few feet before realizing he wasn’t following.

“Bumblebee?” his voice reached him on the comm link, worried.

“ _Can you_ …” Bumblebee hesitated. “ _Bring her here? …I can’t….I can’t get closer_.”

Hot Rod made a noise of affirmation and drove ahead. Bumblebee watched him park and Viviane step out to go and knock on the door.

He saw the door open and he saw the bright hair of Carly and his grief and regret twisted his insides again. He saw Viviane talking to her for a few moments, indicating to Hot Rod and by the surprise on Carly’s face she wasn’t hiding the fact she was with Autobots.

And then he came running out.

A small human child that was almost an exact copy of Sam and Bumblebee wanted to drive away. But he forced himself to stay still while the child, looking to be around Michelle’s age, ran over to Hot Rod to check him out.

He forced his gaze back to the women and saw Viviane nodding over to Bumblebee. Carly’s mouth dropped when she saw him. She quickly turned back to Viviane, mumbled something and stepped back in.

Viviane gave Bumblebee an encouraging thumbs up before walking over to Hot Rod and the child.

A moment later and Carly stepped out, walking straight over to Bumblebee. He couldn’t read her expression, but she offered a small smile as she stopped before him, “Hello, Bumblebee.”

He hummed in greeting and opened his passenger door, she hesitated before climbing inside, shutting the door behind her.

She didn’t speak right away, instead watching her son gush over Hot Rod while Viviane talked to him. Bumblebee couldn’t be the one to break the silence.

Finally: “His name is Daniel.”

“ _He’s…beautiful_ ,” Bumblebee replied softly.

Carly smiled softly, “He looks like his father. A bit more wild than him though.” She looked down at the steering wheel across from her, “We told him all about you and Optimus and all of the Autobots. He’s your biggest fan.” She stopped for a moment, “Did you want to meet him?”

Of course he did, but he was leaving. There was no point for Daniel to get to know a robot who wasn’t a part of his life and soon wouldn’t even be on the same planet as him-and Bumblebee told Carly that.

She nodded in understanding, leaning back against the passenger seat. “You came to say goodbye then?”

“ _Yes_ ,” he replied. “ _I came to say goodbye…to you…and Sam._ ”

Carly flinched, “He’s gone, Bumblebee.”

“ _I know_ …” he said, the grief thick in the air. “ _I’m so sorry. I should have been there_.”

“Don’t,” Carly quickly snapped. “Don’t start blaming yourself. I already did that and it didn’t help a damn thing.”

He saw specks of tears fill her eyes and she tried to wipe them away, “Here.” She extended her other hand out to show a small ring in her palm. It was one of Bumblebee’s gears, from that day in Chicago. “After the funeral I thought…I thought you would want to have it, to remember him by.”

“ _I can’t take that_ ,” Bumblebee insisted. It was her wedding ring!

But Carly placed it on the driver seat. “Yes, you can. I have our son and our wedding, and our memories.” She smiled back at the wheel, tears starting to slide down her cheeks. “You have the memories too, Bee. I know he was a little crazy and didn’t always showed it, but he loved you. He loved you and the Autobots and he wanted to be a hero that deserved to stand next to you. For better or worse. And-and after you were started to be hunted…he wanted to come after you, to find you and hide you somewhere.” She shrugged helplessly, “But we had no idea where to look, we couldn’t reach anyone who might have known.”

“ _That’s for the best_ ,” he told her. He remembered those early days hiding, and he knew Cemetery Wind wouldn’t have hesitated to kill Sam for trying to protect him.

Not that it mattered anymore.

Carly wiped at her face again, “You said you came to say goodbye. Where are you going?”

For the third time in two days Bumblebee explained they were leaving for Cybertron, and he invited Carly and Daniel to come and say goodbye to Prime and the others.

“I’ll try to make it,” Carly told him after he was done explaining. “But either way, thank you for coming to say goodbye. I really appreciate it, Sam would too.”

At that moment Bumblebee remembered the last time he had seen Sam, it had been a absolutely normal day. He had dropped Sam and Carly home after a date night, the man giving him a tap on the hood-their equivalent to a fist bump.

“Good luck on your next mission,” Sam had told Bumblebee. At the time he hadn’t known he was being called to bass to tell them that the Autobots were no longer allies to the humans, after only one year after the Chicago battle. “Love ya, Bee,” he said causally, fully expecting to see him again in the next few days.

That was it.

But as Carly reached down and rested her cheek and hands on the dashboard, the best hug she could give to a car, Bumblebee realized it was something. It may not have been truly enough it was something.

And for Sam, he’d hold on to it for the rest of his life.

 _Love ya, Sam_.

.

“So what’s the next stop?” Viviane asked.

Night had once again fallen and she was sitting atop Hot Rod’s hood, carefully eaten a sandwich she had bought for dinner. Bumblebee parked across from them.

“ _Brighton Falls_ ,” Bumblebee said, thankful his radio couldn’t give away how absolutely _terrified_ he was. “ _Our last stop_.”

And it was there he hoped to find the last (but also first) of his human companions. He had no idea if she still lived there, he had no idea if she was still alive, he had no idea if she even wanted to see him again.

But he was about to find out.

A part of him that forgot he would soon be leaving for Cybertron thought: _I’m going home_.


	5. Chapter 5

Bumblebee sat on the grass with his back against a tree, listening to the sound of crashing waves from the other side of the forest he found himself in.

Charlie was standing before him, her body so close to his own as her hands ran over the dents and scrapes on his chest and arms. While he had won the battle between Dropkick and Shatter, they had been thorough in making sure he wouldn’t forget the fight anytime soon.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, after a moment of examining him. “You fought those two all by yourself…” She gazed up at him with her big brown optics that looked to be shining in the moon light.

Bumblebee’s spark did a back flip as he lifted his hand and gave a thumbs up. He thought about telling her he had fought many battles with much worse odds and much worse injuries, but that probably wouldn’t make her feel better.

The two had left the tower where they had narrowly avoided the Decepticon army into storming the planet, with a promise from the soldier Burns that humans would not come after them. Charlie had told him they were heading to the Golden Gate Bridge, though he had no idea what that was. Either way they had not walked long before Charlie took in his small limp and asked him to sit down and rest.

Now she was giving him the softest of smiles, he really liked her smiles. And for the hundredth time that night he played out their kiss.

He had been resting at the bottom of the dam, having submerged himself and risked his life to kill Shatter and save Charlie. His body ached as he lay there, unable to get the energy to rise to the surface and continue as an Autobot.

Then a shape burst through the water and his optics widened. Charlie, it was his friend, and she _dived_! He remembered the video she hadn’t let him watch, how that video was the last time she saw her father. And now she was diving for him and his spark wanted to burst with affection and admiration. It had only been with her help that he had successfully thwarted the Decepticons’ plan.

Charlie reached him and without a moment of hesitation held his face between her hands, just like when they had first met. They stared at each other for a moment, Bumblebee knowing there was nothing on his radio to help him say how much he appreciated her, how happy and grateful he felt toward her.

But then Charlie pressed her lips against his mouth plate and a moment later she pulled away and he realized it had been a kiss. He nearly glitched out at the realization and felt a wave of disappointment that he hadn’t been able to appreciate it before the kiss was done. It had been his first, having not had any romantic relationship with an Autobot.

Romantic… Charlie had given him a romantic kiss, which meant…

Before he had given it too much thought, Bumblebee now had the energy to wrap an arm around Charlie and bring them up to the surface.

Now, with Charlie nearly pressed flush against him he fantasized about asking her to kiss him again, true they’d have time later on while they went to find the other Autobots. But still why not get some practice in early?

“ _Charlie_ …” it took him a moment to find her name through his channels. “ _That…kiss_ -”

She had been focusing on one of his head lights, her brow knit in concentration. But just as he said the k-word Charlie jolted in place and slammed both hands onto his chest. “Bee, I-Sorry!” Her hands had hit a little too hard on his tender chest. “Sorry, sorry, sorry!”

He gave her a thumbs up, “ _It’s fine!_ ”

“Listen, Bee,” she continued, her voice frazzled as she dusted off his chest as if that would relieve his pain. “That was a, uh…a spur of the moment thing. It’s something humans do, there’s no need to worry about or think about or even mention it so…”

Hurt stung his spark and he dropped into his wide shoulders. “ _Did you…not mean to?_ ”

Charlie looked taken aback by his question, and her brow tent as she seemed to be searching for the correct answer. “I knew what I was doing but… It wasn’t right of me to just kiss you like that. You probably don’t even know what kissing is-”

He stretched his head forward to gently bump their heads together, his optics shimmering into her surprised gaze. “ _I do though_ …”

She didn’t respond right away, her face bright red as she could only stare at him. Bumblebee took the opportunity to reach his hands up and cup her face like she had done for him and he wished he had more than a mouth plate.

But there was no need as Charlie thrust her head forward and pressed another kiss against him, looking way more flustered than she had the first time. And before she had the chance to move away and be embarrassed Bumblebee started to nuzzle against her neck, his engine rattling with a purr.

“Bee,” she gasped against him, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep him in place. “Bee, can we…”

She didn’t finish her question, instead Bumblebee slipped his servos under her shirt to graze her belly and back. She responded by planting several kisses across his head and neck, almost like she was marking him.

_I wanna mark her_ , Bumblebee realized. And he wanted to do that in a very specific way.

Charlie pulled back slightly, her face flushed as she looked down at what had bumped her leg. For a moment Bumblebee felt a twinge of nerves. He had never done anything like this? Was he going too fast? Did he need more self-control? He had never met anyone like Charlie, he had never felt like this toward anyone and only had his wild emotions to tell him what to do.

“I didn’t know you had a…” she trailed off as she looked at his spike. Letting out a soft laugh she spoke, “We’re really going to do this…”

He was going to tell her they didn’t have to, as much as his engine burned and as much as his spark told him it belonged to her-they didn’t have to.

But then Charlie carefully traced her fingers up his spike and he was a goner.

It was a few minutes of experimentation. The two friends carefully running their fingers over each other, to see what was the right spot to touch. Bumblebee was shivering as her palms rubbed against him and he knew he was already starting to leak. This was his first time doing something like this, and it was _Charlie_. He wanted to get this right.

And then Charlie unbuckled her pants, showing the black fabric underneath and her cheers burned an even brighter red. But her optics were glazed with want as she took his hand in hers. “Can you…I want-I need you to touch me.”

Hearing the same desperate need in her voice, matching the need in his spark, encouraged him to go further. It encouraged him to carefully slide his fingers beneath the black fabric. He was met with hte hot damp flesh of her valve and the shuddering breath that escaped Charlie’s mouth. He carefully slid his finger against her and she placed a hand over his wrist while her free hand pressed against her mouth. Her thighs flexed, squeezing against him and it was his turn to shudder.

He was just about to beg her to let him inside when she pulled his hand away, her optics burning fiercely. “I have to…I can’t wait.”

He knew exactly what she meant and he wasn’t going to stop her, instead watching with increased hunger as she slipped her pants off. Bumblebee leaned back against the tree as she stepped forward, he held her hips as she placed her core against his spike. And the minute the wet, warm sensation touched the sensitive metal, he had to mute himself in fear of being overheard.

He curled around her as she rubbed against the underside of his spike, growling low as she placed more kisses against his neck and chest. His spark thrummed with affection and excitement as he knew this was the first of many times they’d know each other so intimately. He could see them finding secluded places as they traveled around the world with the Autobots. He’d hope to one day find her mouth kissing his spike as well as the rest of him.

But that was later and he was living in the present, and in the present he held Charlie as she carefully positioned herself just over his spike. He saw a flash of uncertainty in her optics. “ _You don’t have to_ …” Bumblebee started only for Charlie to shake her head.

“I do, I do want to,” she began, biting her lip. She looked up at him with her gaze shimmering. “But this…this is a big deal for me. It’s my first time and it’s with you and I want it to be perfect.”

He nuzzled against her neck, “ _It’s already perfect._ ” He could feel her smile against his face plate.

Bumblebee then pulled away and watched as Charlie carefully moved down, her human valve stretching against him and he felt the tip of his spike leak more as she slowly encased him.

_Oh Primus_ , _I’m not gonna last!_ Bumblebee realized with panic. _There’s no way I can hold out for long I’m going to_ -

Charlie gasped out loud as she came to a halt on top of him, burying her face into his neck, her muscles tensed like she was expecting a fight. Bumblebee wrapped his arms around her, feeling himself trembling as he stayed completely still. As much as he wanted this he knew she was smaller, still a human, he didn’t want to hurt her.

“You…you can move,” Charlie breathed shakily.

Bumblebee hesitated, and then gave a small experimental twitch of his hips. He felt something give and Charlie let out a cry of ecstasy, which encouraged him to pump his hips again. He was rewarded with another moan of pleasure, that and electricity traveling through his spike up his body and to his spark-a mixture of pleasure and adoration.

This was more than physical gratification for him, it had to be more when Charlie was involved. It was something more intimidate and serious and vulnerable and _Primus_ , he was in love with her. He was falling in love with her.

But that fact didn’t give any experienced self-control and it was only a few frantic thrusts of his hips later and he let out a buzzing, low moan as his fluid gushed out. Charlie gasped as the liquid filled her valve, and it was her turn to move frantically against him, letting out a noise similar to his own to let him know she reached her peak.

They sat there, longer than necessary, holding onto each other. Bumblebee had so much to say but he didn’t want to break the silence. He just wanted to hold Charlie Watson, the human that had changed his life, the human that he was madly and irreparably in love with.

.

“ _And this is the first time…I’ve seen her since_.” Bumblebee finished.

He had driven alongside Hot Rod, explaining to him and Viviane how Charlie Watson was the first human he had met. And while he didn’t share the details of their kiss or intimate night together he did tell them he had fallen in love with her, but hadn’t been able to bear making her go with him to find the Autobots. He had then spent years fighting alongside the Autobots, and any time he had had the chance to go and see her, fear for her safety kept him from going to her. Or maybe it was more fear of her having moved on, having forgotten him, that had kept him from Brighton Falls. There was also the spark-crushing terror that she would hate him after not even paying her a visit because of those earlier stated fears.

_There was also the chance she had passed away…_ But that was one thing he didn’t dare think about.

After he had finished his explanation to his friends, he heard Viviane over the comm link: “Aww, Bumblebee that’s so sweet.”

“Adorable!” Hot Rod agreed. “Two long lost lovers reuniting after years apart! You can’t write that kinda romance!”

“ _You’ll help me?_ ” he asked quietly, knowing that he’d rather face Megatron again than face Charlie alone.

“Of course we will!” Viviane said instantly. “I’ll go in and talk her up to you-”  
“ _I don’t know_ -” Bumblebee cut in. “ _If she even…still likes me._ ”

Hot Rod made a noise that said he had something to say but wasn’t going to say it. But Viviane responded kindly, “Okay. I’ll see if I can find anything out before you talk to her.”

A few hours later and Bumblebee was leading his friends through the sleepy streets of Brighton Hall, he felt a burst of nostalgic excitement as he saw the familiar sights. He could make out the outline of the amusement park Charlie used to work at and was quick to point it out to Hot Rod and Viviane. He also pointed out the road where he had taken both Charlie and Memo on a drive, he even recognized the house of that mean human whose care he crushed. Viviane sounded shocked when he told them that but Hot Rod let out a laugh.

“Do you think she still lives at her old house?” the Autobot asked.

“ _I don’t know_ ,” Bumblebee admitted. “ _But we’re not going there_.” Not only did he not want to risk her family (or even a completely different family) seeing a camaro and a lamborgini loitering outside their house-something was telling him to go to the place where she had found him. The old scrap yard where her uncle had kept him until Charlie had found him a stroke of luck? Fate?

Either way, one more turn and the two cars pulled up to a building that Bumblebee didn’t recognize. But he did recognize the name atop the building: _Watson’s Mechanic Shop and Karate Studio_.

And if that wasn’t enough to let him know he was in the right place, he saw a familiar red and white corvette parked in the front of the building. Bumblebee felt a rush of nostalgia and elation at the sight of it. He hadn’t thought about that old car in years, but the moment he saw it he was brought back to the night in Charlie’s garage. She had told him how important the car was to her, and how she had wanted to fix it for her father’s sake.

Had he heard her?

The two parked in a small lot, facing the building. And as soon as he pulled to a stop the anxiety came rushing back and Bumblebee quickly put himself in park before he drove away. Instead he watched Viviane slide out of Hot Rod, lovingly stroking his hood as she walked over to Bumblebee.

“I’ll go and find her,” Viviane told him. “Talk her up, find out what I can, and then report back.” She made it sound like it was a top secret Autobot mission. Both he and Hot Rod chuckled quietly as she gave a soldier’s salute and hurried across the lot and into the door that marked the mechanic’s shop.

Now all Bumblebee could do was wait.

.

Viviane was hit with a breath of cold air and the musk of hundreds of different flavored air fresheners.

The front room was bigger than Mikaela’s and had two doors on the left wall behind the counter, no doubt one to lead into the garage area and one to lead to the karate studio.

“I’ll be right there!” a female spoke up after the door dinged behind Viviane. It came from the back wall, from an entrance that must have been an office.

Viviane took the time to look around. On the counter was a bowl of candy (free!) and pamphlets for the next door karate studio. Next to the counter was a waist-high freezer full of bottled sodas and water and up above the wall was a small television playing a shampoo commercial. Across from the television were three chairs for customers to sit on. Instead of sitting Viviane looked over the counter at the walls, on one lined several photos, no doubt of Charlie Watson and her friends and family. And right next to the photos was a build in shelf, and on the shelf was a row of several diving trophies.

While Viviane was focusing on a specific photo (a young girl standing in front of a yellow beetle) a woman walked out of the back room. “Sorry about that. On a call.”  
Viviane looked up to see the famous Charlie Watson standing before him, one of the first people to ever befriend an Autobot. And she had…expected someone older.

Bumblebee had told her she had been eighteen in the eighties when they had met, she should have been older than Viviane. But the brunette, brown eyed girl look to be around her age, maybe even younger.

_When all this is over I have to ask her what her skin routine is_.

The woman (with a name tag titled Charlie on her chest) leaned her elbows on the counter, offering an easy smile. “Can I help you?”  
 _Now’s the time to subtlety figure out if she’s in love with Bumblebee!_ “I uh… I’m new around here,” she said eventually. “As you can tell by my accent.”  
“Oh, well, welcome to Brighton Falls,” she said. “Is there anything you need from my shop? Or from my brother’s studio? He mainly teaches kids but he can schedule adults.”

“I could use an air freshener, actually,” Viviane said the first thing that came to mind. “I have a new car. A lamborgini.”

“Wait, really?” she looked over Viviane’s shoulder as if she could see the cars outside. “That’s impressive. Love to see it come by the shop, not that I hope anything damages it.” She turned around to look over her air freshener list. “Anything specific?”

“Can I see all you have?” she asked. “Is a lamborgini your favorite car? It’s definitely mine.”

“Hmm,” Charlie pursed her lip in thought. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“Oh? What is it then?” _Please be a camaro, please be a camaro!_

The other woman gave her a side look, no doubt thinking this was a strange and insistent conversation to have with a stranger. “I’m a simple woman. My favorite is a Volkswagon Beetle.”

_FUCK!_

Charlie came back to the counter and laid out the tree shaped scented charms, Viviane leaned over them and acted like she was putting a good minute of thought into it.

“So,” she began. “Anything interesting ever happen here in Brighton?”

“It’s a pretty slow town I’m afraid,” Charlie said, fixing the stack of karate pamphlets beside her. “You’d have to cross the Golden Gate Bridge to find some more excitement.”

“Then why do you live here?” Viviane looked up at her. “I’m sure bigger cities could use a mechanic shop that’s also a karate studio.”

Charlie frowned, “I mean sure, but I don’t mind the small town. I already stretched my wings and seen the world, metaphorically.” She nodded to the shelf of trophies.

“Oh yes, congratulations,” Viviane added. She squinted her eyes at the collection. “Did you make it to the Olympics?”

She pointed to a bronze trophy that was stuck between two gold ones. “I was off my game that day.”

“Really, why?” Viviane asked curiously, thinking even a bronze statue wasn’t something to sneeze at.

She noticed Charlie’s shoulder stiffen for a moment, looking unsure if she wanted to answer. But finally she shrugged, “I think everyone was off their game that day. It was only a week or so after the Transformers battle in New York.

_Oh thank the Lord she brought the Transformers up all on her own_! Viviane thought, nearly hopping in place. “Oh right, that must have been terrifying. But at least those Autobots were there! I mean I know they’re illegal now, but they really helped us out with the Decepticons.”

“Yeah,” Charlie said dryly. “They sure did.”

She turned abruptly and walked back to Viviane. “Have you picked out your air freshener?”

“Ah, right well…” she looked at the charms, having not done that. “What would…what would you suggest? For a lamborgini?”  
Charlie let out a thoughtful huff and put her elbows on the counter. “Well…”

.

“So, Bumblebee,” Hot Rod spoke up in the empty parking lot. “If all goes well for you and Mademoiselle Charlie, you will need my advice.”

“ _Advice_?” Bumblebee would have furrowed his brow if he was in robot mode. “ _On what_?”  
“On how to sexually please a human woman of course.”

_Oh Primus, no_.

“ _That’s really not necessary_ ,” Bumblebee tried to insist, but Hot Rod wasn’t listening.

“Obviously there’s a significant difference between human women and femme bots. One thing being the size, you can’t go too crazy or else you could break them.”

_The only way this could be worse if Hot Rod was Optimus._

“They’re also much softer and _oh_ , my friend. It’s a good thing you’re in love with this girl because Cybertronians will be ruined for you when you see how soft a human is.”

“ _We don’t even know…if she still likes me_!” It was a terrifying thought but one Bumblebee had to brace himself for.

Hot Rod made a huffing noise. “Stop worrying yourself! I like you and I have the best taste in both humans and Cybertronians. Charlie would have terrible taste if she didn’t’ still like you, and _you_ are not someone who would fall for a human with bad taste.”

Hot Rod had always been a confident bot, something Bumblebee wished he could share but at the moment…

Thankfully he was saved from Hot Rod going into detail about his sex life with Viviane when a new car pulled up into the lot, stopping a few feet across from them.

Curiously Bumblebee watched as a man stepped out of driver seat. _Memo_! He recognized the boy that had befriended Charlie and himself while he was at Brighton Falls. Should he get his attention, talking to Memo didn’t scare him nearly as much as talking to Charlie.

But instead Bumblebee watched as Memo opened the passenger door and a little boy stepped out. The Autobot silently watched as Memo took the kid’s hand and started to head toward the building. Memo gave the two cars a curious glance before looking back at his child. “You ready to see Charlie?”

The boy’s optics shone and he smiled up at his father, “Yeah!”

_No_. A sense of deep, cold dread and dismay overcame him. _No, no, no, no_!

And just as the two humans reached the door Bumblebee pulled sharply out of the lot and drove off into the street, his tires squealing as he put on a burst of speed.

.

Both Viviane and Charlie jumped as they heard the sudden sound of squealing tires. And Viviane hurried to the window as she heard the sound again. Looking through the glass she just saw Hot Rod chasing after Bumblebee, the two Autobots disappearing into the town.

_They left me alone_ , she realized. She had no idea why but she was sure it was a good reason and that they’d be back soon. Maybe they went to buy flowers…somehow.

The door dinged as a man and his small boy walked in, glancing over his shoulder as he did so.

“Memo,” Charlie greeted the man. “What happened?”

“There were these two nice-looking cars outside and they suddenly sped out of here like they were being chased.”

Viviane once again checked outside, suddenly paranoid a Decepticon or TRF agent was there.

“Customers of yours, Charlie?” Memo asked as he walked over to the counter.

“No, I didn’t have any customers today besides Miss Viviane here,” Charlie nodded to her and Viviane gave a small wave to the man that he returned. “That’s weird.”

But despite the weirdness Charlie looked down and smiled at the child, “Want some candy?”

The little boy nodded eagerly and happily took the lollipop Charlie offered.

“You two can go ahead and go into the studio,” Charlie told him. “Otis is almost done with his 10 o’ clock class.”

As the man and child walked through one of the doors, Charlie smiling softly after them, Viviane suddenly felt a sense of dread. And she realized why Bumblebee had drove off.

.

The gossipy old people of Brighton Falls would wonder for weeks why the Earth had suddenly shook under their slippers. They would wonder if they had experienced one of the world’s shortest earth quakes.

But in actuality it was Hot Rod, slamming into Bumblebee after the two had sped onto the beach. The Autobot wrapping his arms around the camaro and slamming Bumblebee’s body into the sand before the yellow Autobot could run away.

“ _No_!” Bumblebee transformed into robot mode and tried to kick at Hot Rod. “ _Let me go! I changed my mind! I can’t do this!_ ”

“Bumblebee calm down!” Hot Rod snapped. “You didn’t drive all the way here only to run away before you even see her!”

“ _She has a…_ ” Bumblebee felt a wail rise up in his chest. “ _I know that…human. He’s her friend… I think…she has a family! I was too late!_ ”

“You don’t know that!” Hot Rod huffed, finally pushing Bumblebee away to stand up. “And so what if she does? That doesn’t change the fact you need to talk to her!”

“ _I can’t_!”

“I didn’t peg you as a coward, B-127!” Hot Rod snapped, using the Transformers’ old name. “You are _leaving_ Earth. This is your last chance!”

Bumblebee flinched, gazing down at the sand under his feet. He felt Hot Rod’s glare on him, but the other Autobot’s body creaked as he relaxed.

“You told me you owed it to her,” Hot Rod said, calmer now. “Do you really want to lose her without saying goodbye? Like you did with Sam?”

Bumblebee pulled his servos into fists, knowing Hot Rod was right, knowing he’d rather die than to let that happen again.

_But looking into Charlie’s optics and listen to her say she’s happy with Memo and her new family…that might very well kill me_.

.

Viviane knew Charlie was getting impatient with the British woman who was taking her car fresheners too seriously. But she was trying to find a way to causally ask if Memo was her husband and that had been their kid.

“Sorry,” she said at last, feeling bad. “To tell you the truth I’m just waiting for my boyfriend to call me.”

Charlie, who had looked up from a cars magazine she had pulled out, gave her a curious look. “And you wanted to kill time in a mechanic’s shop?”

“He’s really into cars,” Viviane said, not a complete lie. “So I was thinking I could try to get into them as well.”

“That’s cute,” Charlie admitted. “But examining car fresheners probably isn’t the best way to do it, in my humble opinion.”  
She chuckled, “Yeah, I guess so. I really don’t know much about cars. But for my beau, I’d do anything.”

Charlie offered her a smile, “I can get that.”

“You done the same thing, huh?” she asked jokingly, though her ears were wide open to catch what she said next.

Charlie looked up, her expression thoughtful. “No, don’t think so. I was too busy with my diving and then opening up this shop with my brother. Haven’t found a guy I want to settle down with.”

“Oh, really?” Viviane asked, praying Bee would hurry back. “I thought that maybe, you and that nice man, Memo-you looked close.”

“We are close,” she replied. “But he’s just my friend.”

_Bumblebee still has a shot_!

As if the thought had summoned him Viviane caught the sound of an approaching engine. She looked over her shoulder to see Hot Rod outside the window. “There’s my boyfriend! I should go, thanks for letting me hang out it’s been fun!”

Charlie pointed to the fresheners, “Aren’t you going to…”

“Oh right!” Viviane immediately picked up the red one and slapped a twenty on the counter. “Keep the change, see you later!”

She rushed outside and hopped into Hot Rod’s passenger seat. “Why did you two leave me?”

“Thousand apologies, my Little Lady,” Hot Rod said, sounding a bit tired as he pulled out of the lot. “Bumblebee had a little bit of a panic attack. He saw this human he apparently know and got it in his head Charlie’s married to him.” He hesitated a moment, “Is she?”

“Nope,” Viviane stated proudly. “I was able to check. I was very subtle and smooth by the way. Our yellow gentleman still has a chance!”

“Excellent! I left him down the street let’s go share the good news!” He drove for a moment before adding, “What are you holding?”

“Oh,” Viviane looked at the little charm in her hand. “It’s an air freshener for you, it’s suppose to smell like spices.”

There was heavy moment of silence before Hot Rod spoke, his voice nervous and self-conscious, “Do I-Do I smell bad?”

.

Night had fallen and Bumblebee was parked with Hot Rod and Viviane outside the shop.

He had been absolutely relieved when Viviane had shared the news that Charlie hadn’t moved on from him. Well…she might have moved on but she was still single.

That made the whole confessing to her a little more bearable. Not easy, just doable. But since Viviane had awkwardly admitted she might have creeped Charlie out by her lurking they decided to wait out until it was closing time and catch her before she went home.

He watched Memo and his child leave, feeling a bit guilty over his relief that he and Charlie weren’t a couple. He knew the human had had a crush on her during their younger years.

He also saw her bother Otis, someone he had never gotten to talk to. He was a grown man now, lean from his karate and only stuck his head into the Mechanic shop to say goodbye before heading out for the night.

And then it was time, with Hot Rod right behind him in case he tried to drive off again Bumblebee slowly and quietly drove over to stop before the mechanic shop.

Most of the lights were off except for the section of a shop and Bumblebee felt his body start to tremble as his fear of rejection and excitement at seeing her again battled in his spark.

Then finally- _finally_ -after years of being apart, Charlie stepped out of the shop and outside, the outside light illuminating her features.

Viviane had already told him she had aged well but that was an understatement, she looked as if he had never left. And she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

She had come to a halt when she spotted the two cars parked in front of her, her brown optics widening when they landed on the camaro. Recognition lit up her gaze and Bumblebee quickly scrambled for the right channels that would give him all the words he’d need. To let her know he missed her, he was sorry, he was in love with her, all the while it looked like several emotions overcame Charlie’s features.

However before he had the chance to turn his volume up Charlie’s face pulled into a scowl. And with a firm: “No.” She turned on her heel and disappeared inside the shop, slamming the door behind her.

.

Tears instantly fell down her face and she blindly walked past the counter and through the door into her garage. Charlie found her table of tools and leaned on it, sobs wracking through her body.

_Years, fucking years and_ now _he shows up!?_

She inwardly snapped at the butterflies to stop dancing in her stomach, told her heart to calm down. She wasn’t a love struck eighteen year old anymore and long ago accepted that he wouldn’t return, that their friendship was brief and over.

_So why is he here!?_

She heard something touch her garage door and looked up. It was still open a few feet off the ground, she had not planned on closing it when she left. But now to her surprise she saw the British woman Viviane crawling into the garage.

“You locked the door,” she said, as if wanting to defend herself having to crawl on the dirty cement ground.

“What are you doing here?” Charlie snapped.

“Okay, so that reunion didn’t go as I expected,” Viviane said, walking over to her with an apologetic shrug. “I uh-thought you’d be happier to see Bumblebee.”

_She knew Bumblebee?_ Unwanted jealousy spiked through her blood. “Are you his new friend?”  
“We aren’t close like you two were,” Viviane said. “He told me you were both so close! Don’t you want to talk to him?”

“Was me saying no and locking the door behind me not a clear sign as to what the answer to that is?” Charlie asked dryly. Her voice rasped and she furiously rubbed at her wet eyes.

Viviane frowned, her eyes sympathetic but her brow tented. “He missed you.”

It sounded almost accusing and Charlie again told her heart to _calm down_ after finally receiving the answer to a question she had asked for too long.

“This could be your last chance to see him,” Viviane continued. “I’d want to see Hot Rod if we had been separated for years.”

_Who the hell is Hot Rod? Whatever…_ She had a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t going to be left alone until she talked to Bumblebee. Or so said the part of her that was jumping up and down in glee yelling “ _He’s here! He’s back!_ ”

Charlie sighed. “Is it important? What he’s here for?”

“Very!” Viviane insisted. “You just-you just stay here and I’ll have Bumblebee come to you. Hot Rod and I will leave you guys alone and you can talk and catch up and everything!”

Before Charlie could say more Viviane ran off, crawling back under the garage door opening (even though she could have gone and unlocked the mechanic shop door).

Charlie looked around her, a dim light bulb above giving her enough light to look at the tools on the table. She idly picked up a wrench, then threw it across the room, slamming the tool into the wall where it clattered into a corner.

She heard the sound of the garage door being pulled open, moonlight pooling into the room and a shadow looming over her. She kept her back to it, suddenly scared to move.

The shadow didn’t move, but she felt a soft gaze against her skin and despite her anger and fear and longing, she turned around.

She looked up at a much taller body, thick and muscular. Once he had fit easily into a garage, now his knees were bent as he stood at the entrance.

But those eyes were the same, those beautiful blue eyes were still the same. And now those eyes were looking at her with fear that matched her own.

“You grew.” That was the only thing she could think of to say.

.

“Are you sure we should leave them on their own?” Viviane asked quietly as Hot Rod drove down the streets.

“They’ll be fine,” Hot Rod said. “They just need some time on their own to get their feelings out. We’ll check on them in the morning.”

Viviane looked out the window, stars speckling the night sky. “What will we do until then?”  
“I found a beach! And since we’ve never gone to the beach together I thought…”  
Viviane made herself more comfortable in the seat, “That sounds lovely.”

.

Bumblebee stayed still, after Charlie had made the comment about his greater size she had turned around busying herself with the tolls on the table before her.

His spark still stung furiously from the way she had looked at him, from the cold anger in her voice as she turned away not giving him a chance to speak. But his head had been filled with such possibilities for a long time, he had spent so many years wondering what he could possibly say to her after being gone for so long.

Yet still he had a chance to talk to her, but staring at her back he could not think of anything to say. At least, not anything that would mend the rift between them.

So instead he said, “ _You haven’t_.”

That wasn’t incorrect. But it also probably wasn’t the correct thing to say. Because Charlie turned to give a quick glare before turning away from him again, walking off to a section of tires lined up on the wall. “I noticed. I assumed you had something to do with that.”

Bumblebee glanced away, his mind running over the possibility. How would he…

“But it doesn’t matter,” Charlie continued. “Everyone thinks I’m just very healthy and I’m fine with that being the case.” She let out a sigh and then turned to him, this time finally fully facing him. “But I’m not fine with you sending your British friends into my shop to spy on me.”

“ _I wasn’t_ -”

“You could have simply called me if you wanted to know how I was doing,” Charlie cut in, placing her hands on her hips and lifting her chin. “In which I’d tell you I’ve been doing _great_. I did competitive diving for years, won quite a few trophies.”

“ _That’s really great_ ,” he congratulated, meaning it.

“And now I owe my own mechanic shop. I’m doing _fantastic_ all on my own.” She hesitated for a moment, “Is that why you finally came?”

_No, I finally came because I’m leaving soon_. Yeah, that would be the _perfect_ thing to say to Charlie whose optics were glassy and shoulders were trembling.

He took a few steps forward into the garage, holding his hand out to her. “ _I wanted to…_ ”

“Please don’t,” she cut in, her voice choking with emotion and bringing Bumblebee to a complete halt. “Stay right there.”

She was gripping the wall, staring down at the ground before taking in another shuddering breath. “Look, Bumblebee. I know I said you had to go to be with the Autobots, and I know I said I couldn’t go and I stand by that. But…” She looked up at him and he had to resist wiping the tears from her face. “I had thought-I had _hoped_ that you would come back, if just to let me know that you were okay.” She angrily shook her head, “All I had was news footage of all those attacks, of me desperately looking for you on the television and praying you were okay because people weren’t allowed to drive off into the aftermath! And I would’ve… I wanted to go after you. After I finished school I wanted to find you and help whatever way I can even if it was the smallest amount… But I told myself there was nothing I can do to help you, so I had to hold onto the hope when everything calmed down you would come. When I heard that the government banned Autobots and you had all gone into hiding I was like ‘he’ll come now, I can hide him and keep him safe’. But you didn’t.”

She rubbed at the tears pulling from her optics, struggling to keep herself composed. “So why now? What brought you here?”

Bumblebee gave her a stricken look. _She’s going to hate me, it’s too late. I’m too late_. But he still had to tell her the truth, he owed her that.

“ _The Autobots…are leaving Earth. I’m going…back to my home planet. I came to tell you goodbye._ ”

He expected her to be even more angry, maybe throw something at him. But all she did was nod, keeping her gaze downcast and her lips closed.

Bumblebee leaned closer, “ _Are you…going to say anything_?”

“What do you want me to say, Bumblebee?” she asked, her voice a unsteady whisper. “What could I possibly say to that? That you finally came back to me only to tell me you’re leaving? What could I _possibly_ say to that?”

Bumblebee let out a low buzzing noise. His voice had been fixed back when they fought Unicron, but he had kept to using the radio as talking had caused great pain to his throat.

But, for the first time, he spoke to Charlie, his voice low and rasping from the pain: “I’m sorry.”

Her head shot up, looking shocked that he had spoken. But then her brow furrowed and her lip wobbled. “Don’t be sorry. You gotta do what you gotta do, right? That’s what I did, I decided to move on with my life. I decided that our friendship had been more important to me and clearly I was right.” She started to back away from him. “You’re going home now, where you belong with all your real friends and that’s _fine_. We had our fun, you got to be a hero, and we can move on and forget all of this.” Her body was trembling and more tears flowed freely as she struggled to continue speaking. “You can forget me, and that’ll be fine. It’s over, I’m done, we’re done and that’s-”

Bumblebee reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around her.

“ _Stop_ ,” his radio breathed, feeling her tremble in his embrace.

“You don’t have to comfort me. I may not look it but I’m a big girl now,” she said into his shoulder, making no attempt to pull away from him. “Don’t waste your time here, don’t waste it with me. Just go.”

“Charlie,” he spoke again, feeling her jolt when he said her name. Despite the pain it caused he felt a sense of pride and elation that he finally got to say it. “I love you.”

There. He said it! The feelings he had harbored for years was finally laid out. He couldn’t take it back, he couldn’t drive away, it was done. He had done it, no matter the consequences that followed.

.

Viviane twirled under Hot Rod’s arm, her bare feet digging into the cold sand of the beach.

The two had found an area of the beach hidden from any nearby roads, making it safe for Hot Rod to walk around the sand in robot mode. They had not gone long when, the splash of the ocean’s waves, the soft sand underfoot, and the gorgeous stars up above encouraged Viviane to ask Hot Rod to dance with her.

He had hardly needed convincing, using his radio to play his favorite songs (they were all French which she had smirked about). He had taken her hands in his and led her around in a clunky but endearing circle.

During the twirl Viviane’s foot brushed up against a short, thick stick hiding under the sand and with an embarrassing yelp she lost her balance. Before she could reach both hands up to grab Hot Rod’s hand and keep her upright, the Autobot’s hand was under her back, turning the ruined twirl into an impressive dip.

Viviane looked up at Hot Rod’s twinkling blue eyes and let out a slightly flustered chuckle. “Not bad, Mr. International.”

He shared her laugh, the stars a beautiful back drop above him. Viviane would have been more than content to just gaze up at him for a few more minutes. But instead he pulled her back onto her feet.

Hot Rod knelt before her, a teasing smirk spread across his features. “Not bad yourself… _Mrs._ International.”

A delighted blush lit up her cheeks and she gazed downward, feeling like a shy, love struck teenager.

A moment later Hot Rod nudged her arm, “Come over here for a moment.”

Right behind them was a hill that dropped off to the beach, and there Hot Rod sat down, his back against the rocky scale. Viviane hurried over to him and he pulled her into his lap and she sat on his knee.

He immediately started to stroke her hair and Viviane closed her eyes, leaning into his touch and just enjoying the quiet company of him. And after a moment of the silence he spoke.

“You mean everything to me,” Hot Rod’s voice was soft. “You know that, right?”

Viviane opened her eyes, taken aback by the serious look in his eye. She took his hand and held it to her chest so he could feel her heart beating. “Of course I do. Why do you ask?”

“I just like to make sure,” he replied, gently knocking his head against her own in a display of affection. “I also…wanted to show you something?”

That caught her curiosity, Viviane had been sure she had seen (and touched) every inch of him. “Go on, then.”

He carefully pulled her off his knee so she stood before him, and, silently watching Hot Rod pressed his chest. It opened up and Viviane’s eyes widened as her gaze found a round blue sphere hovering in his chest and lighting up her skin.

“Is that…”

“My spark,” he answered, his voice low, almost unsure. “I think in human terms, it’s my heart. I wanted to show it to you.”

Viviane gazed at the spark. “Why?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“Because it’s yours.”

The tone of his voice had her eyes breaking away from his chest to look up at his face. His eyes were bright and vulnerable, telling her how intimate and important this was to him.

She smiled softly feeling her eyes go damp. “Thank you.” She reached out, her fingers hovering over the spark, she felt absolutely floored in the moment. “I’ll take care of it, I promise.”

“I know,” Hot Rod assured before leaning down to nuzzle into her neck. Viviane wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed a kiss against the corner of his mouth.

In response he let out a moan, “Little Lady…”

She threw her head back and laughed, recognizing that tone in his voice. “Right now? Right here?”

“I can’t wait,” Hot Rod said, his voice coming into a beg. He pressed his face plate against her stomach and looked up at her with wide adoring eyes. “I’ll hold you so you don’t get sand anywhere,” he added, guessing that would be a problem.

Viviane smirked down at him, she really did spoil him too much.

.

Charlie placed her hands on either side of his chest and pulled away, Bumblebee’s servers digging into her hips as she looked up at him with a horrified expression.

“Why would you say that?” she demanded, distraught. 

He didn’t answer and Charlie didn’t give him a moment to reply.

“You’re leaving, _why_ would you say that? Did you think I wasn’t hurting enough before you said that!?”  
“I didn’t want to hurt you!” he insisted.

“Then why did you do that!?” Her hands shot up and held onto his face plate in a tight grip, reminding him of the first time they met. But back then tears hadn’t been freely falling down her face. “Why would you say something I had hoped to hear for years? I was fine Bumblebee I was fine before you came and did this to me!”

He didn’t respond, her raggedy breathing the only noise in the dimly lit garage. All he could do was stare into her optics that swam with hundred of emotions.

She leaned closer, “You can’t just come and do this to me, Bee, you can’t just-” She slammed her lips against his mouth plate.

Instantly Bumblebee’s spark jumped at the feel of her mouth against him. It still felt the same, and it still made his engine want to melt. He wished he had an actual mouth so he could kiss her back.

A second later and Charlie sharply pulled her head back, staring at Bumblebee with her face red and her eyes glazed with longing.

“Will you remember me?” she asked quietly.

“ _I never forgot you_ ,” Bumblebee swore. “ _I never will_ … _I’m sorry I didn’t come back_.”

Charlie swallowed, her hands moving from his face to run down the seams of his neck and across his chest. Her hands were still shaking. “Can we make sure,” she started slowly. “That you won’t forget?”

Bumblebee’s brow furrowed, unsure what she meant.

Unsure until her hands started moving downward.

“I missed this,” she breathed, stopping above his hips and meeting his optics. “I need this.”

There was not enough words in the language of humans or Cybertronians that would probably convey how he _desperately_ needed this. So instead his fingers touched her wrist as he let her hand down lower where his spike, hungry and begging, slipped out for her touch.

He loomed over her as her fingers glided across the sensitive metal and this time Bumblebee was planning to last more than a nanosecond. But Charlie wasn’t going to make it easy as, with another look up at him, mixed with uncertainty and arousal, dipped her hand and wrapped her lips around the tip.

Bumblebee let out a low buzzing moan, bracing his hands on either side of him as he felt her tongue slid against him, warm and wet.

_Oh yes_ , he immediately thought. _I will never be able to lay with a Cybertronian after this_. Not that he had any intention to.

He felt himself starting to drip despite himself and she made a noise when she tasted him. The sound sent several volts of electricity up his spine.

Her teeth grazed the metal of his spike and he shuddered, just barely able to keep himself from jumping in place. Primus! That felt good.

But his shivering had Charlie pulling her mouth away to look up at Bumblebee, he saw a trace of blue liquid on the corner of her lip. “Are you okay?”

“ _Don’t stop_!” he begged, one of his hands holding her elbow while the other cupped her jaw. “ _Please don’t stop_!”

She looked taken by surprise by his insistence, but excitement brightened in her gaze and she grabbed the hand that held her face, pulling it down between her warm thighs.

Bumblebee felt a starving growl escape him.

.

Hot Rod’s fingers ran through Viviane’s dark, soft hair as she straddled him. Thanks to the many intimidate nights they had shared after his confession he slipped into her easily. He sighed dreamily as he felt her warmth and heat surrounding his spike.

Viviane made pleasurable mewling sounds as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her under his chin. She slowly moved her hips, in no hurry. On his knee laid her clothes, safely out of reach of the sand as she pressed her naked body against him. Despite the size difference it fit, it really, truly fit.

While his fingers played through her hair his other hand massaged her back and rear, his spark going fully with every gratifying sigh that escaped her lips.

“Je’taime,” she murmured as she bucked those wide, perfect hips.

“ _Oh_!” Hot Rod started. “Please don’t start saying that, Little Lady. I won’t last a minute.”

She giggled pulling her head back to smile at him, “You should be used to be by now.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being with you,” he admitted, feeling his spark thump. “Every time…it’s like the first.”

Her already red cheeks blushed even harder, “You sound like a silly Victorian romance novel.”

He tipped his head, “Is that a good thing?”

“It is for you,” she replied. “Because it makes my heart flutter. But now I have to step up my game to make _you_ swoon.”

“Oh I don’t know,” he looked down to where they were attached, “You’re doing pretty good in my opinion.”

.

Bumblebee curled over Charlie. Her back pressed against the cement of the garage as his hand slid up her shirt to massage her breasts. She hadn’t worn a bra that day, not that he was complaining.

Her pants hung off her ankle, her thighs spread far to accommodate his spike that was currently in the middle of pounding into her. She was slick and wet and her gasps rasping in his audio receptors.

Bumblebee’s face was buried against her clavicle, her hair fanning the sides of his face as she fingers dug helplessly into his arms.

She didn’t try to speak, neither did he, all they could do was release the desperate, raw longing inside them for each other. His spike arcing across the top of the core, wet from her fluids, and her hips beat frantically against his own.

He had been waiting years to feel her around him again, to make her skin flush with pleasure and her mouth pressing against his face. And now that he was, he was shocked to see he was lasting as long as he could. His mouth plate vibrating with a buzz he ran it across her damp neck and clavicle, his thumb flicking across her hard nipples and making her gasp. _Please gasp more, please I want to hear you_. He picked up speed, going deeper than he had their first time. For a moment he feared he would hurt her but his frantic hip thrusts were answered by her pulling her legs even farther, welcoming him, wanting all of him.

.

Viviane felt her pleasure carry her up in that same welcome, familiar way she always felt when she was with Hot Rod. But still she didn’t let the rising pleasure make her pick up speed, she kept it slow, moving languid and deep against Hot Rod who was clutching her close. His embrace always made her feel secure and loved and she planned on falling asleep in these arms later.

But right now she held his face between her hands so he’d look into her eyes, his blue gaze sparkled with affection and fire and it made Viviane bite her lip.

A few more grinds and Viviane back arched as the pleasure danced across her. Hot Rod watched her as she came against him, twitching against his spike and drenching him in her fluids.

Just as she was coming down she reached forward and placed a soft kiss on his chest, right where his spark was. “Je’taime, Hot Rod.”

Predictably he let out a helpless moan but she wasn’t complaining as she felt him gush inside her, warm and welcome in her womb. The two lovers held each other, close and loving as they were both brought back down from the stars.

Hot Rod spoke against her hair, “And once again you’ve utterly undone, Mrs. International.”

She smiled against his metallic skin. “Don’t call me that?”

“No?”

“No, I was thinking and-I decided I like Mrs. Hot Rod better.”

He made an doting moan against her, “You’re trying to kill me.”

.

Charlie felt Bumblebee’s spike start to thrum inside her. Did that mean he was close? She knew she was, clinging frantically to him she knew it wouldn’t be much longer until she came against the metal ridges that were ravaging her center.

She also knew there was no way she was going to be able to walk tomorrow, which was a consequence she would happily take.

_Because Bumblebee loves me_ … The fact sent a rush of joy through her heart. He loved her, and right now that was all that mattered. Right now he was curled over her, deep in her, the only one to have seen her like this and it was more than she could have hoped for after all these years of waiting.

Bumblebee lifted his head and gazed down at her, his blue eyes brimming with emotion as he stared down at her. Charlie let herself smile, any anger, any bitterness, having melted away as content exhaustion started to weigh down on her bones. She was going to sleep very well tonight.

Would she be able to sleep in Bumblebee’s arms?

Suddenly Bee’s back arced upward, his head dropping against her shoulder as he let out a long low buzz. Charlie gasped out loud when she felt hot liquid flush inside her, she shivered at the sensation.

A moment later she followed him, crying out in pleasure and wrapping her arms around him as she frantically pumped her hips against him.

They held onto each other for a moment longer, trembling against each other before they finally relaxed. Charlie, having arched from her climax, let her back lay against the floor, Bumblebee propped himself over her.

He silently gazed at her with those blue optics that hadn’t changed despite the time that had passed.

“Charlie,” he spoke again, it was so bizarre hearing him speak. But she couldn’t deny the way her heart flipped hearing him say her name. “I do love you… Really.”

Her hands that had been clutching his throat reached up and cradled his face like she had loved to do, how she had longed to do for so long.

“I love you,” she replied honestly. “I always have.”


End file.
